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Diary of a Mad Renovator: Kitchen Talk

Written by Jaqui Lividini

Carving out the Kitchen

By Jaqui Lividini

It's finally time for some of the fun things that go with home renovating, like designing the kitchen! Selecting appliances was first on our agenda. Our kitchen is somewhat cozy (like our house). So finding the perfect appliances is super important. Our goal—to find the largest appliances possible that would not overwhelm our intimate space.

Old kitchen—before the renovation

Kitchen after demolition

We looked at everything on the market (and I do mean EVERYTHING) and finally settled on Electrolux. Their appliances seem to be just what we are looking for—all the right shapes, sizes, finishes and add-ons. For example, originally we needed a refrigerator for a space that was 30-inches wide. Ultimately we felt that a 36-inch-wide fridge would be more appropriate for our family, so we had to squeeze 6 additional inches out of the cabinet next to it, compromising storage space. That was a big and difficult decision for us. Then the question of add-ons surfaced—who knew refrigerators had accessories? Do you want an ice-maker, a juice-maker, a water dispenser, a French door or a side by side? Will there be a freezer on the bottom, side or top? There were a million choices.

French door refrigerator

So far, surprisingly enough, we've been really careful about not getting add-ons that we were just never going to use (clearly I exercise more responsibility with fridge accessorizing than my own!) I had to think about things that make the most sense. So the verdict was a 36-inch stainless-steel French door refrigerator with an ice-maker and water-dispenser. Rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?

The next item on our agenda—the stove. I was very particular about the stove. It had to be a slide-in style with no backsplash, which is one piece and gives the kitchen a cleaner look. Since we selected a mirror backsplash for the stove, it was ultra important to find this slide-in feature. Electrolux made the perfect one in the form of a dual-fuel range, both gas and electric.

Dual-fuel range

The last big item was the dishwasher, and what was most important to me was one with a custom wood front panel so that it would disappear into the cabinets.

We are extremely happy with all of our selections, and with the simplicity of Electrolux. There were enough add-ons and customization options, but not so many to make my brain hurt . . . or my wallet!